Fusing indie and alt rock with a nod to power pop, Exploding Violets is here to deliver messages of love, acceptance, and outrage. Our name was inspired by queer history, since violets have long been used to represent lesbians. And in nature, violets slowly explode to spread their seeds into the world.
NIX GRAY
SHE/THEY
LEAD VOCALIST + SONGWRITING
Nix has been experimenting with music her entire life. First with vocals, and following with piano, trumpet, baritone, and guitar. She took a long hiatus, spent focused on parenting and creating graphic art, but she felt inspired to return to musical storytelling by her favorite band Sleater-Kinney. Nix now writes songs about her experiences in relationships and societal issues she’s passionate about. She also enjoys working on creative projects with her kid, hanging out with her cats, playing board games with friends, watching and reading sci-fi, and searching for graffiti.
ELISE ETHERTON
SHE/HIM/THEY
BASS + HARMONY + RECORDING
With a degree in music education and career in audio engineering, Elise is constantly overriding completely irrational perfectionism. Exploding Violets is the moment where she can let all that loose.
When not onstage you can find Elise recording performances at UT Austin’s Butler School of Music, enjoying improv comedy, screaming into the void, and woodworking.
EMILY JONES
SHE/HER
GUITAR
Booking
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Photos by Traverse Photography